1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a container capable of mixing two substances together, and more particularly to a container which is capable of separately storing two substances, for example powder and liquid, or liquid and liquid, in two reservoirs provided in the container, and of mixing the substances together when necessary. This invention provides a container, which is easy to manufacture and effective in terms of economy, and which enables easy mixing of substances, thus accomplishing an excellent mixing result. The container of this invention can be widely used in homes, laboratories and drugstores, and for individual use and other industrial uses.
2. Description of the Prior Art
When powder and liquid are mixed together and held in one container for a lengthy period of time, there frequently occur cases where the properties of the mixture are changed. Thus, there is a demand for a container which is capable of separately storing substances as well as mixing them together when necessary.
In order to achieve the above object, there have been proposed various containers, each of which is provided with two reservoirs. However, conventional containers each have a problem that it is relatively high in its manufacturing cost, inconvenient to mix substances, and difficult to achieve an excellent mixing result.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,802,604 discloses a device for storing and dispensing substances. This device consists of a liquid holding container, a powder holding cup, a cap, a cover, and a tear-strip. In this case, the powder holding cup has a cylindrical shape, and is positioned inside a neck of the container. The cap is fitted over the neck. The cover is also fitted over the cap in such a way as to move up and down, and has a trocar which is integrally formed in the cover. Further, the tear-strip is attached to the sidewall of the container in order to prevent unexpected downward movement of the cover. When it is required to mix liquid with powder, the tear-strip is primarily removed from the container. Then, when strongly pressing down on the cover, the trocar passes from the cover to the bottom of the cup such that the powder is dropped into the liquid. The conventional device for storing and dispensing substances has an advantage that two substances are thoroughly separated from each other when storing the substances. But, the conventional device for storing and dispensing substances has a problem that it is high in its manufacturing cost, because the device has a considerably complicated structure. The conventional device for storing and dispensing substances has another problem that it is difficult to mix substances together and part of the device may be broken, because it needs a strong vertical pressing force for mixing substances together. In addition, the conventional device for storing and dispensing substances has a further problem that it is difficult to achieve an excellent mixing result, because the whole quantity of powder is simultaneously dropped to the surface of liquid, thus forming a plurality of powder lumps.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,692,644 discloses another container. This container consists of a first product reservoir, a cylindrical second product reservoir, a movable wall, a movable bottom, and an actuating means. The first product reservoir holds liquid. The second product reservoir holds powder and has a mouth fixed to the first product reservoir. The movable wall is positioned in the mouth to separate the first and second reservoirs. The movable bottom of the second reservoir has an outer diameter which is substantially equal to the inner diameter of the mouth. The actuating means engages with the external surface of the second reservoir in such a way as to vertically move, and is integrated with a piston for displacing the movable bottom. When it is required to mix liquid with powder in the container, the actuating means is strongly pressed upwardly. At this time, the piston moves upward while passing through the second reservoir to push the powder up. Subsequently, the piston passes through the movable wall such that the powder is dispersed in the liquid. This container has a more excellent mixing result in comparison with the device for storing and dispensing substances according to U.S. Pat. No. 3,802,604. However, as the piston moves up, the volume of the second reservoir is gradually reduced, and simultaneously the powder is subject to an excessive strong pressure, so stress among powder particles is increased. This prevents the powder from being freely dispersed in the liquid. That is, when two substances are mixed together, several powder lumps are generated, so it takes a long time to completely mix two substances. This container has a problem that its manufacturing cost is high, because its construction is complicated. Further, this container is equal to the device for storing and dispensing substances of U.S. Pat. No. 3,802,604 in that it needs a strong vertical pressing force for mixing substances together.
Accordingly, the present invention has been made keeping in mind the above problems occurring in the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a container, which is capable of separately storing two substances in two reservoirs provided in the container and mixing them together. This container consists of a liquid storing chamber, a powder storing cup positioned below the liquid storing chamber, a cover unit and a rotary cap. In this case, the cover unit is closely fitted into the liquid storing chamber, and has a cover plate on its top portion. The rotary cap is actuated to vertically move the powder storing cup. In this container, the powder storing cup itself moves up by the rotation of the rotary cap. At this time, the cover plate is removed from the cover unit, so the powder storing cup is positioned inside the liquid storing chamber. Therefore, the present invention provides a container, which is easily operated to achieve a more excellent mixing result, in comparison with the conventional pushing-type container designed to press up powder.
In order to accomplish the above object, the present invention provides a container capable of separately storing two substances as well as mixing them together, comprising: a cylindrical liquid storing chamber provided at its upper end with an outlet port and also provided at its lower end with a lower opening, with a locking ring formed around an outer surface of a sidewall defining the opening; a movable powder storing cup provided at a lower position on its outer surface with at least one projection; a cover unit consisting of a cover plate provided on its top portion and separating the storing chamber from the storing cup, an annular sidewall having an outer diameter equal to an inner diameter of the liquid storing chamber to be fitted into the lower opening of the storing chamber, and a leg downwardly extending from the lower end of the annular sidewall and provided with a slit engaging with the projection of the storing cup; and a rotary cap consisting of an annular groove formed at an upper position on the inner surface of the rotary cap and engaging with the locking ring of the storing chamber, and a spiral groove formed at a lower position on the inner surface of the rotary cap and engaging with the projection of the storing cup, the projection inserted into the slit of the cover unit.
In the container according to this invention, the powder storing cup is vertically displaced from a first position where the powder storing cup is positioned below the liquid storing chamber to a second position where the powder storing cup is positioned in the liquid storing chamber by removing the cover plate from the cover unit. Such a displacement is performed by the rotation of the rotary cap. When the rotary cap is rotated, the powder storing cup moves up by the projection engaging with the spiral groove of the rotary cap. At this time, since the rotation of the projection is prevented by the slit of the cover unit which is fitted into the liquid storing chamber, the powder storing cup is vertically moved. The cover plate is removed from the cover unit when coming into contact with the upper end of the powder storing cup which is upwardly moved. Thereafter, the powder of the powder storing cup is mixed with the liquid in the liquid storing chamber.
Preferably, a serrated blade is formed along the upper end of the powder storing cup for allowing the cover plate to be smoothly removed from the cover unit. In addition, a support column is positioned in the powder storing cup in such a way as to uprightly stand on the bottom of the powder storing cup 20, thus preventing the cover plate removed from the cover unit from covering the powder storing cup.